Danny Boy
by Gretch
Summary: 3 young Irish sisters immigrate to America (almost a year after the strike). Told by Sive. Davey is involved.
1. The Beginning

Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling From glen to glen, and down the mountain side The summer's gone, and all the flowers are dying 'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide. But come ye back when summer's in the meadow Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow 'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow Oh Danny boy, oh Danny boy, I love you so.  
  
And if you come, when all the flowers are dying And I am dead, as dead I well may be You'll come and find the place where I am lying And kneel and say an "Ave" there for me.  
  
And I shall hear, tho' soft you tread above me And all my dreams will warm and sweeter be If you'll not fail to tell me that you love me I'll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.  
  
I'll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.  
  
My father was an Irish man at heart, he went to church every Sunday, and drank his whiskey straight. He was a good man, he raised his three daughters right, and we loved him with all of our hearts, but somethings, we could not control. All the years of drinking caused liver troubles, and he loved a good fight. But it was his liver that really got him down eventually, and then, he was just gone, but he influence us for years to come.  
Moma had died quite a few years earlier. I never really got to know her like my sisters had. I remember how she looked, she was beautiful, most girls just say that about their mum, but she really was georgous. I got my flaming red hair from her, and my soft locks. Her almond shaped brown eyes seemed to sparkle when it hit them right. Everyone knew why our father loved her, she was poised and kind. She was not the smallest woman with her wide hips, and thick legs, I inherited that also.  
I remember one night, when both of my sisters were sound asleep, I waited up late for my papa to come home. He was working at the local factory in town(the first, with few more to come). When he came home he picked my up and spun me around. He asked me if I it would please me to go on a short walk, I loved walks, he knew that. He checked on my sisters, and then we tip-toed out the back door. It was a cool breezy summers night, the wind was rushing through my toes, I loved to walk barefoot, it made me feel free. He stopped by the stream awhile away from our homestead, and looked at me like only a father could. He said to me, "Sive, do you know what your name means?"  
I just looked at him with pure love and replied enthusiastically, "No, do you know what your name means?" He chuckled and then looked back at me.  
"It means sweet, your know that moma named you so, because the first time she saw you, you looked into her soft eyes, and you stopped crying, and stared at her for awhile. She said you were beautiful like an angel, but sweet like apple pie. She was a very smart woman to name you such."  
"Daddy.."  
"Yes, Sive"  
"You miss moma dont you?"  
"Oh yes darlin, I miss her so. I loved your moma very much, but Im a lucky man, and she made me 3 gorgous daughters."  
I just smiled for awhile. Then I turned to daddy, and in my sweetest voice, I said "Daddy, how did she make us? Did she make us like we make bread, or like we grow potatos?" Once again he laughted a full laugh, and we walked on.  
  
He was a great man, and I will miss him until my dying day. But thats not what this story is about. Once our father was gone, Breanna, Erin, and I went to the care of an estranged uncle, and his wife. I adored my aunt Gretchen, she was not Irish, but she made amazing potato stew, and knew how to care for children. Although she was unable to bare any children of her own, our Aunt Gretchen was not bitter towards us, and I loved her.  
One day, Breanna, who was then 15 ran into our room, sobbing and it looked like she was bruised. She told me to get all my stuff together, and the same to Erin. We ran far away that night, and never saw our Uncle Bran, or our dear Aunt Gretchen again.  
As I understood, our father had left Breanna a considerable amount of money and we spent the next month journeying across Ireland to the ports of the Atlantic Ocean, and were on a ship to America, as soon as my sister wished it so.  
If anyone ever tells you how America is a land full of opporunities, they are liars. The first time off our boat, I cried. What happed to Breanna that was so bad, we had to leave Ireland where we were born and lived with Daddy and Moma? America is a scary place, with its tall buildings, and cruel strangers.  
After months of searching for a decent job, and with almost all of Pa's money gone, we had almost lost hope. It happened on my birthday, I remember it distincly. My 10th birthday was the turn around, and I think that was moma's and pa's doin, from up in heaven. That day, my sister had us wash up, as nicely as we could, which is not easy when your living on the streets. She was going to finally give up and work in a factory. None of us girls liked the idea, but with under a dollar left, she had no choice, a dollar can only stretch so far. I guess we looked pretty okay that day, because some boy mistaked us for people with a penny to spare.  
"Heya miss, buy a pape?" he opened his trap, and he was clearly not just a boy, "I got teberculosis, and I aint gonna live much longer" he ended his performance with a fake cough.  
"If you had teberculosis, you wouldnt be on the dirty streets of New York selling Newpapers, now would you? What are you doing out here, anyways" reacted Breanna.  
"Makin a livin, and how bout you, that aint no way a nice lady should be dressin."  
"We dont come from much wealth, excuse me young man, my name is Erin" my sister held out her hand, "My sisters and I were just on our way to make a livin ourselves, you dont know where a couple of peace lovin irish ladies could find a job, without resortin to the factories, do ya?" Erin knew what she was doing, she knew what this boy was, and she knew that she could get him to let a us girls find a job. Erin had told me about the Newsboys once or twice, she was always fantasied by them, they were so crude and loud, drinking and smoking at ages as young as 8.  
"Listen lady, if you want to be a newsy-"  
"Why what a lovely idea! What do you say?" I batted my eyelashes a little and held out my hand.  
"Well, I dont know, Id have to talk to some people. It aint that common to see a couple of ladies sellin papes. I mean maybe, 100 goils in New York are selling papes, and NYC is a big place"  
"Well wait just a minute!" exclaimed Breanna, "I want to be a Newsy. Sign us up!" Breanna was such a strong willed girl, always had been, she wanted what she wanted, and she wouldnt stop until she got it.  
"Aahahaha, ladie, you dont sign up to be a Newsy. It aint a steady job, its tough"  
"And Im a tough girl" said Breanna.  
"Alright, but watch out for the boys, they get a little excited 'round pretty goils" the boy turned and motioned us to follow him. He was a fast walker. My 10 year old feet could hardly keep up.  
"Excuse me, but, you didnt tell us your name" asked Erin.  
"Snipeshooter, but the boys call me Snipes" 


	2. David

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Atleast a half an hour later we found ourselves infront of a small restraunt. Snipeshooter turned to us and warned, "Now I aint sure any of da boys are here, so dont get none of ya hopes up" we walked in, and the place was nearly empty, except for two boys in the cornor of the room. They were dressed simalarly to Snipeshooter. He walked over to them, and we followed. "Heya Dave. Heya Jack. Listen I got a favah to ask" "What is it? And who are you?" asked a boy with curly hair, in a blue shirt. "I am Breanna, and these are my sisters, Erin and Sive" responded Breanna almost as soon as the boy stopped talking.  
"Well, these goils wants ta be Newsies, and I aint got time to show dem da ropes, I was wonderin if either one of youse two would be willin ta- "  
"Yeah, well who says we got time?" said the other boy with straight hair and dark clothes.  
"Well, then what ah youse two in heah for?"said Snipeshooter  
"I have time" said the boy with curly hair, "I don't have to be home until about 8 o'clock sharp. That gives us one and all day." he said as he looked at his watch. His friend nodded, he seemed to be in a foul mood. The boy walked with us out of the restraunt, while Snipeshooted sat down with the other boy.  
"Hi! Whats your name?" I asked with curiousity  
"David, and what did you say your names were again?"  
"I'm Sive, that means 'sweet', my daddy told me that once, how old are ye-"  
"Sorry" said my older sister Breanna, blushing slightly, "My name is Breanna" she held out her hand, and when he took in his, she blushed even more, "This is Erin, shes my younger sister, she's is 13 years of age. This one here" she said, hugging me, "is our little Sive, shes-"  
"10!" I exclaimed  
"Oh are you? I have a brother who is ten, his name is Les. He'll be 11 in another month"  
"Well, Im 10, but yesterday I was 9" I said proudly, I was hoping he would congradulate me that I was 10 years old today, but he didnt pay much attention. He turned to my sister and asked her how old she was. That was the first time in my life that either one of my sisters stole my glory.  
"16?" he said, "You look much older. Im 16 myself"  
"Oh really? Whens your birthday?" asked Breanna  
"November 14"  
"Hah!" exclaimed Breanna  
"What?"  
"Im older, by 3 days"she said, that familiar smirk upon her face, that this new boy wasnt used to.  
Wow, he just couldnt keep his eyes off of her. 


	3. Gretch

Hey! I know I only got one review, but its my first published fic and I don't mind. As for my bad proof-reading, I'm sorry about that, I'm a bad speller, and I don't have spell check on this program. The thing about "Newsy" vs "Newsie" has left me torn, I have always been confused as to which, on my Newsies Hoodie, Newsy is spelled with a y. I don't think its that big of a deal and can go either way, so I'm just gonna spell is with a y for consistency(Sp)  
  
Oh yeah, and a disclaimer is what I forgot:  
  
I don't own "Newsies" or any of the Newsies in this fan fiction, with the exception of Breanna, Erin and Sive. Disney has rights to the movie. blah blah blah.  
  
And on with the fic  
  
David was rather intelligent for a Newsy. He would say words that I, and even Erin couldn't't understand. The things we learned from him about selling newspapers were so strange coming out of his mouth.  
  
"The first thing I learned when I became a newsy was that Headlines don't sell papes, newsies sell papes. That means that, okay let me find a good example." David faced all three of us and raised his arms to demonstrate, "Say an article reads, 'Train crash causes 12 deaths' a newsy would say, 'Coincidence or not? Train crash causes dozens of deaths!'"  
  
"But thats lying!" I replied  
  
"No. No it is not't, its just modifying the truth."  
  
"I think I understand" said Erin taking a paper and saying at the top of her voice, "The mayors niece has suddenly disappeared off the face of this earth, presumed dead!" referring to the article about how the mayors niece had run off. Immediately 2 woman gave her a penny each and took a 2 papers.  
  
"Very nice!" said David enthusiastically.  
  
Most of the day Erin and I were just traveling close behind David and Breanna, as they were deep in conversation. By the end of the day I had sold 20 newspapers! I was so proud, and as I handed my earnings to my eldest sister as we were about to part from David.  
  
"Wait!" he said "Where are you going to sleep tonight, I mean, you got a place to go?"  
  
"Its no big deal, we go here or there." replied Breanna  
  
"Oh okay, but you better find yourself a place pretty soon, your gonna freeze in the winter"  
  
"We already spent one winter on the streets, we can make it." I said, sounded exactly like Breanna  
  
"But still, its not safe, you know? You should talk to the guys tomorrow about staying in the lodging house"  
  
"You expect us to sleep in dirty conditions with males surrounding us, momma and papa would never approve of it!" said Erin  
  
"Its better then living on the streets" David pointed out. We were defeated, David had a point. Anything with for walls and a ceiling was better than being out in the cold.  
  
"Listen, um, I know it isn't a good idea, and if anything it wont be steady, but why don't I ask my parents if you could sleep at my place tonight?"  
  
"You don't sleep with the other newsboys?" as David nodded, I noticed that Breanna had been quiet through the whole conversation. She was standing right behind David, and she looked like above everything she would like to meet Davids parents.  
  
"Well, since your the oldest" said David turning to Breanna, "Its really your decision isn't it?"  
  
"I suppose that if your parents approve, it would be suitable for a night, just one."  
  
"Okay, um, this is my house right here" he said motioning toward the building they were in front of.  
  
I had no idea that we were that close, how strangely convenient.  
  
We walked in to Davids apartment, and after a good few minutes he convinced his parents to let the girls spend the night, after 10 pm there was no further contact with David for the night. His parents viewed it inappropriate..  
  
The next day we pretty much similar as the day before. We met more of the newsboys and really got to know them. I had met Davids brother Les, and we got along very well. We were very close in age, and although he was a boy, and I was a girl, we became good friends. The next week was just a blur. We moved into the lodging house, and a pattern began to show. Wake up, wash, buy, sell, eat, buy, sell, eat, sleep. Pretty easy to follow, it gave us enough free time between the morning edition and evening edition newspapers. Speaking of selling, I was up to 100 papes a day, not bad, eh? Life was going so smoothly, and the thought of our dear Ireland hit every now and then. I would be so happy, fooling around, selling newspapers and even the simplest of things with remind me of my homeland. As long as I live I will never forget it. Speaking of selling, I was up to 100 papes a day, not bad, eh?  
  
Breanna and David were spending more and more time alone together as the days went on, they liked to sell together, and the boys would ofter tease Davey. In no more than two weeks time it was announced that they were dating. I couldn't't understand the concept of dating, why not just get married? They always did the silliest things like playing with each-others hair and holding hands. As far as I saw it, "ick" but then again I was only 10 years old.  
  
I can not remember to this day seeing my parents in-love. I'm sure they had been, but I never had a picture to go along with the thought. What they did remind me of was my Uncle Bran and Aunt Gretch. As the weeks went on, and they did fly by, summer turned into winter and so on, Breanna reminded me more and more of my Aunt Gretchen. She became so motherly and you could see something Gretchen-like in her eye. When I told her this she was utterly shocked.  
  
"Aunt Gretchen? Why I hardly think about her anymore! Do I really remind you of her?" I remembered how much I cared for my Aunt Gretchen for the short while we lived with her, but I knew in my heart of hearts that Breanna had adored her even more.  
  
"Well then its settled" said Davey(who by the way was around more then ever), "forever more you are Gretch" we all chuckled a bit, but the name did catch on, and pretty soon every newsy in Manhattan was calling her Gretch. 


End file.
